Shutter-control mechanism for musical instruments



Dec. 4, 1928. A

J. H. HAMMOND,` JR

l SHUTTER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR' MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Original Filed Nov..12. 1920 'H15 AmmNEr 25V tioned to Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STA-rss PATENT OFFICE.

sHUTTER-CONTBOLMECHANISM Fon MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Applicatonled November 12, 1920, Serial No. 423,550. Renewed April 5, 1927.

Ihe objects ofthe'present invention' are to provide means for changing the positionA of the swell shutters of an Organon-other musical instrument from a distant point of operation; to p-rovide means to open and close the swell shutters of an organ in a predetermined manneras a result of operating 'a pedal; and

to provide other Jimprovements as will heren inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1

resents a diagrammatic elevation Otan ap-Y paratus forlcontrolling-theshutters of an organ embodying'one vform. of the presentin y'vention and Fig. 2 is a plan :of the shutter mechanism and its adjuncts.

Referring to the drawings; one form of the 'present invention isshown vapplied to an organ of which the console 10 and sound chest 11v are illustrateddiagramanatically, the lat-v `ter having'a series o shutters 12 Amounted on pivots 13 in the usualnmanner Aso .that the "'shutters'12 can be opened and closed as desired. 'Theconsole 10.hasatone end;of its bottom portion a Y reces'sconveniently. positori" i f For the purpose of. simultaneously operating-the shutters 12, a rod 14 is-provided. A Vlplurality of arms 1-'5 which are connected relspectiv'ely to the several shutters 12 are piv` oted to the rod 14. The .latter servesas a common operating 'means forlall the shutters 12.- The free end'oil the .rodl 14 .-is connected by a pin 16 and slot 17 to a rock arm 18 which forms a rigid extension of a division plate 20 of a double chambered bellows 21 and y22. The vplate 20 is pivoted at 23 to the V-shaped outer fixed wall 24 ofthe bellows21 and 22.

In order to operate the bellows 21 and 22 in a selective manner to cause the rod 14 to move in a desired direction, the: bellows 21 is in communication with a-conduit 25 and the bellows 22 is inicommunication with a cond uit 26, the two conduits 25 and`26 having. comthe conduit 26. Suitable exhaust ports 35v and 36 are provided through the casingr 27 disk 48. further insulated from each other by a block of insulation 53 which serves as the inoperative rest positionv of a Contact arm 54. This be reached by thelfoot of the operafor respectively relieving the pressure in the bellows 2l and 22.

For'causing the piston valve 32 to be shifted for operating purposes, it is formed with as the conductor 44,'and by another conductor 51' to a conducting segment 52 of the The two segments 47 and 52 are contact arm 54 is rigidly-secured to a spindle 55 journalled in a bracket 56 and arranged to `b e swung from one position to another by an arm 57 fast at one end to the spindle 55 and pivoted at vits other end to the rod 14. The contact arm 54 is of conducting material and is connected by a conductor 60 to the op- 'posite side of the battery 45 from the two f conductors 44 and 50.

For the purpose of moving the contact segments 47 and 52, relative to the contact arm 54, the disk 48 is rigidly secured at its center to a driven shaft 61 of an electrical repeater or position indicator 62 which has its field coils connected by wires 63, 64 and 65 to the field coils of a position indicator 66 which serves as an electrical transmitter. The brushes of the position indicator 62 are connected by wires 70 and 71 to the position indicator 66 and the wires 70 and 7l are connected through a switch 72 with a suitable source of A. C. supply 73. The position indilcator 66 has a shaft 74 provided with a pinion 75 :keyed thereon and in mesh with a gear 76 which is fast to a pedal 77 of the organ or other player instrument, the pedal 77 being normally maintained in its initial position by means of a spring 78.

In the operation of this form of the invention,` the pedal 77 is held in the position shown by the spring 78. and the disk 48 is turned to the position shown so that when the shutA tais 12 are closed the contact arm 54 will resi.

lol)

on the-insulatien between'- the segments 47 zuid-52. ..Thei'sd/'iteli72 Willv then beic-losel, tlms synchronizing the position indicators G2 and 66. I jfthepedal f fhis noyyturnedin, a counter-clockwise' diiectiom tl1""po'sition indica tor 6 6 rotatedinf .a,clockvise ul rection b y nieiins of tlie gear 76 a'idv'tliepinl ion 75. Tlus =angu.lan movementqwil'l be transn'uttel and repeated by the position-indicator i., 62 so that lthe shaftl tunns tliroughthe san-1e angle, thus rotating the disk Ltlfin: a counterclockwiseE di1'ect-io11=:as;fscenirl-:Fig 2. .This moves the segment- -52 underneath the Contact 'arm and causes( the :eirou-itofthe solenoid -i'743to' be closed A't-'lmich Epulls the-slide? Eva-lyre 132 to. :tlieright as-sen: in; Fig.2, thus allowing 'f'preurel -fluid- -togzpassfront-.thepipe :30.

tlil rcughthe A:groove: 33 :to .the {eonduit S25-tand .intol the bellows ,21,l rthusi movi-ng the plate to -tli'e rigiht and. tliereby-.openingthe shutters 12. As the ro'd 14 moves-'to `the' rightit swings the.. Contact .arm-54 counter-clockwise,v the 1 f, movement i continuing -until -the 'contact ar-m.

--solenoid 43 willl b e ,deenergized :and the pis- 'ton-)valve 32 will.be;returned'to its; central tated an l.additional angle in ,a counter-clockw-isedirection, :thus repeating the ,operation ;j ust -descnibedaamd opening. the ,shutters an -1 additional. amount. 1 1f it is v#desired .to .close the shutters 12 the pedalgfyis-allowedto --rotate in-aclockwise clrectionnndenthe ac- --tion of. the. spring i 78, .thereby turning .the disk 4:8 Aini -.a: clockwise Edirection; gasfseen; in tFig.:2,l-tltr1seclosingthe; circ-,uit:through the solenoid12mmshifting thevalve 32 to allow v'pressureluid to .en-ter thebellows 22 tozcause the shutters 12 to close.` Bymoving the pedal v77 to-any desired position;the-shutters 12 will. maintain -acorresponding 'position .and --\vill. remain there as longfasrthefp'edal iis 4held in thispoisition. f

l -VVliilc-but one of the fmany formsof-itlie presen-t invent-ioni -hasl'been here shown, ,it is to be zunderstood*that the invention-isrnot lin'rted to' any specific-construction.but :might be "applied in variousforms wiilioutdepart- 'from 'vt-lie-spii'itiofthe invention-orthe scope ftlie appendedclaims. i

Haring thus described: my invention', I claimz'- w lflna musical iristrulnen'tfa shutter-pivotallyf' arranged `to control .th'e'passage of Vsoundv suppliedv by said -i'nst-rument,ian'-oper' ating device, a" rotatablev member operated by said device, a plurality of contacts carriedby said member, means operatively connected .to-said.;contactsmespectiyly for moving said shutter in predetermined directions and a contactv arm ontrolledvby the move- `In musical instrumenta plurality of shatters --Piaotal-.ly-@wagedfor Simultaneous movement to control -tlie passage of :sou-nd 1 supplied ,by saideinstnument, .apedal, and a ;rot.atal le,.mfemberoperatedfby said, de-

vice, -a,p'luralityf of contactsI carried by said -mernber,- a.- corresponding -plutraliity of 5 solevffnoids operatively connected. t0 saidf contacts4 fres'pectivelyl tor moving Asaid -shtter tin ja -predetenmned. manner,E and a M mtact,l arm controlledtby themovement fof the, .shutter and movable over such eontactsgsuccessively 'for :connect-i gfinto circuitoneof said sole-. i.

--ment tocontroL thepassage of soundsupplied by said instrument,= an operating device,. a

plurality ofl i position-z i-ndficatorscontrolled bysaid dcvieena rotatablenmember operated by one :of-said positionindicators; a plurality of contactsv :carried-:by said--membenfa44 s olenoid. operatively connectetil-tov each' of -saidw :v con tacts lforrnc-ving isa-id conductor imaipre- '-1 determined directioniand acontactarm :coni Ytrolled. by theemovement-of the conductorand '--movable -ove-r, said? contacts; .snceessivel-y.- l,for

selectively energizing one'- ofsaid solenoida.2

4. In a musical instrument, a plurality-.of fsliutters a arranged ifor. simultaneous movement to control tli'e'passage otsound supplied "by-said instrumentyzmoperating device,- a plurality :of position indicators controlled: by

said :dev-ice,4A a zxotatablermemberf; operated .by loneff saidindi'cators,a Iplural-ity. of contacts 'carried by saidnnernberfimeans operatively connectedto' said contacts -for flnoving -said conductor: in a predetermined di-rection, andmeans controlled solely by tl'ienmovcmentof Vthe-shutter;-and 'movableoversaid contacts lsucces's'ivelyr-for causing sa'idso'lenoids to be selectivelyoperated .faccording to .A requarefmerits.' i' `5. '-In af musical instrument,. a plurality. of shutters Iarranged for simultaneous v.move- V'rn'ent'to control theupassage -of-sound-supplied bysaidinstrument, an operatingtde- Lvic'e; -a' plurality of :position indicators controlledby said device', actuating -means for I-openingsaid shut/tersaactuating,- means `-for closing said: shutters, :and means incllldlng ha rotatable member'having a contactfor each l* of said actuating means controlled-.by said position indicatorsfor select-ingr Aoneior the r-otherf -of-'said uctuatingzgneanszaccorduig as said 1 shutters L are required .t0- zbe opened or closed. u Y -.l

Ina;V musicaliiinstrument, a.. plurality of shutters arranged for simultaneous move- `meiit'of the "Shutt'erafrfdl movable successively llU lli() lill) ment to control the passage of sound supplied by said instrument, an operating device, a plurality of position indicators controlled by said device, actuating means for opening said shutters, actuating means for closing said shutters, and means including a rotatable member operated by one of said position indicators and having a plurality of contacts positioned thereon, a contact arm adapted to engage said contacts and controlled by the movement of the shutters, a pair of solenoids and two branch circuits independently controlled by said contact arm and contactsffor selecting one or the other of said actuating means according as said shutters are required to be opened or closed.

7. In a musical instrument, a plurality of shutters arranged for simultaneous movement to control the passage of sound supplied by said instrument, an operating device, a plurality of position indicators actuated wholly by electrical energy and controlled by said device, a rotatable member operated by one of said position indicators, a plurality of contacts carried by said member, actuating means for opening said shutters controlled by one of Said contacts, actuating means for closing said shutters controlled by any of said contacts, and means including a bellows mechanism controlled by said position indicators for selecting one or the other of said actuating means according assaid shut-- ters are required to be opened or closed.

Signed at N ew York, county of New York, State of New York, this 15th day of October, 1920.

JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, J n. 

